


That Hideous Sweater

by Sintharius



Series: Pumpkin Head And Zombie Dad [2]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Grumpy Old Men, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-17
Updated: 2016-10-17
Packaged: 2018-08-23 01:20:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,470
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8308249
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sintharius/pseuds/Sintharius
Summary: Even grumpy old men needs care.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Kieran (SunGryphon)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SunGryphon/gifts).



> Inspired by Soldier: 76’s Trick or Treat spray, an ask on Hawkefeathers’ Tumblr and [this post](http://slavetomyheadcanon.tumblr.com/post/151798383042/okay-so-ive-been-trying-to-find-a-sweater-that).
> 
> Takes place both before and a bit after The Grim Reaper Has Arrived.

“Where are you going?”

Gabriel chuckled at the sight of Jack Morrison, sleepy and huddled under the blanket on their bed.

“I’m going with the kids to get some Halloween stuff. Go back to sleep, sweetheart.”

Jack grumbled, but he eventually turned to the other side and was fast asleep again in seconds. The man has the uncanny ability to fall asleep quickly everywhere, a trait from his time in the First Omnic Crisis and reinforced by his time going solo as Soldier: 76. He is not going to shake it off any time soon.

Gabriel quietly left the room once he was sure Jack was asleep again. He was going to make a Halloween gift for Jack, and he's got a plan.

***

His admission to Jack hasn’t been entirely a lie – Gabriel was going to help the younger agents with picking out Halloween decorations, but he was going to pick up a few things of his own as well.

Hana had roped him into helping with the Halloween party after Angela accidently revealed that Gabriel is very skilled in crafting – “he designed his own Halloween costume every year back then” was enough to spur the young MEKA pilot into pestering the soldier to join their shopping trip. 

Gabriel would vehemently deny this to the end of his days, but he has a soft spot for the young Korean girl – whom he considers Jack’s surrogate daughter. Although given Hana’s absent biological father (which was what drove her to gaming in the first place) and Jack’s mother henning tendencies, the girl has all but taken Jack as her father. Something in his heart lights up every time he hears Hana calling Jack “dad”, but he keeps it to himself. He will tell Jack someday. Just… not now.

“Hurry up edgelord! We are not standing around so you can make moony eyes at Dad!”

Speak of the devil. Gabriel pulled his hood over his head before slipping on sunglasses to conceal his red eyes. No need to freak people out when Halloween hasn’t even started yet.

“I’m coming, I’m coming.”

“Getting senile there old man?”

Ah, kids.

***

Gibraltar is busy at this time of the year, with thousands of people going out shopping for Halloween.

Gabriel has lost track of the other agents, having split off to find his own stuff. Whatever, he can just meet back up with them later to help carry their stuff – he doubt they would appreciate having to go around with an old man like him anyway.

Time to go hunting for what he needs.

Some directions and six stores later, he arrived at a small fabric shop tucked into a corner of the marketplace.

The shopkeeper had eyed him with suspicion when he first stepped into the shop. A smooth lie later – he was purchasing items for his partner – got him a rather excited elderly lady who was determined to show him everything the shop carried. Gabriel purchased several rolls of orange yarn, along with knitting needles and some other items.

Having placed the items into a shopping bag and thanked the shopkeeper, Gabriel makes his way back towards the team’s predetermined meeting point.

He caught sight of McCree and Hanzo at a shooting game stall – it appears the kid was trying to impress the archer. So far it does not appear to be working as Hanzo matched every shot from McCree with his own. Gabriel snickered – good luck with that, cowboy.

Fareeha is looking through selections in a tea shop. Probably buying some for Ana and Angela.

Hana is signing something – apparently one of her fans caught her inside a game shop. Unsurprising. Gabriel shrugged before going on his way. He trusts Hana to keep the secret.

The smell of baked confections wafted through his nose from a nearby bakery. Maybe he can grab a bite and bring home something for Jack while he’s at it.

And as Jack smiled when Gabriel offered him a still warm conchas, he considered it a win in his book.

***

Knitting brought back memories Gabriel thought he had lost when he became Reaper. The feeling of soft wool under his regenerating flesh, the soothing repeating motions, the small burst of pride when he finishes a particularly difficult section…

He recalled his grandmother at her rocking chair, deft fingers knitting socks and scarves and sweaters for the entirety of the Reyes children. His mother crocheting beautiful trinkets from rolls of wool and fabric. His elder sister, sewing his torn clothes every time he got into a fight on the street and returned home with torn clothes.

He wondered what had become of them after everything that happened.

He had picked a design that was both comfortable and goes well with Jack’s normal outfits in the house. Gabriel did not need to size up Jack for his project – they are familiar with each other’s body down to the smallest scars, memorized during intimate nights spent together before the fall. The solo stint as Soldier: 76 added a lot more scars to Jack Morrison’s body, and Gabriel hoped to learn the story behind every new scar. Just like the last time.

***

Keeping his work a secret from Jack is an issue – after all, it is supposed to be a surprise gift. It would be easier if he weren’t living in a Watchpoint full of people and sharing a room with said man – there’s people everywhere and he can’t seem to find a quiet spot to knit the sweater.

_“Whoa, they’re all over me!”_

“Get rekt cowboy!”

“Aw, come on Hana – you promised to go easy on me!”

Gabriel groaned.

In the end, he resorted to make his gift late at night when Jack is asleep, and locked himself in their room whenever the old soldier was out doing something elsewhere.

***

The sweater was finished in a week, which was rather quick considering all the trouble Gabriel painstakingly went through to keep it a secret.

It was a hideous orange thing, and Gabriel was sure there are a few mistakes here and there – his knitting skills are rusty after a long time of disuse – but it looks decent overall.

Now the only part left is to give it to Jack. Or rather, get his confidence up so he can give the present without making a mess of himself. He knew he was being dramatic – Jack wouldn’t care about such things – but he wanted it to be perfect, because this is Jack Morrison. _His Jack._

***

It was five days before Halloween that Gabriel finally worked up the courage to give his gift to Jack.

They are in the bedroom after returning from a recon mission in Dorado. Gabriel watched Jack stripping out of his gear, the muscles under the pale skin mesmerizing as he took off the jacket and under armor.

Now or never, Gabriel. Make your move.

“Jack?”

“Yeah Gabe?”

“I got something for you. Close your eyes.”

Jack did as he was told. “I hope you aren’t going to kill me right here Gabe.”

“I won’t.” God, just how deep Jack’s trust issues run? Gabriel briefly felt a deep pang of guilt at the admission that he was part of the cause.

He pulled the sweater out of its place in the drawer before stepping over to Jack and placing it into his hands.

“You can open your eyes now Jack.”

***

Seeing the reactions of the other Overwatch members on Jack’s new outfit was hilarious.

Hana had wrinkled her nose and declared that the sweater “makes Dad more into an old man than he actually is”. 

Ana had laughed before putting a grinning pumpkin pin on his chest because “it matches you”. 

McCree called the sweater ridiculous, to which Jack had rebutted “pot calling the kettle black there McCree”, making the cowboy stammer (and well if it wasn’t a good thing to see). 

Reinhardt had slapped Jack on the back and complimented Jack on the outfit “the color is right in season, my friend!”.

And throughout all of it Gabriel quietly watched from the sideline, heart swelling at the sight of Jack floundering about like a human pumpkin. When the last member of Overwatch finally let him go, Gabriel walked over to Jack and pulled him into an embrace, Jack immediately nuzzling into the touch.

“Enjoying your new outfit sweetheart?”

“I feel old in this thing, Gabe.”

“You ARE an old man Jack.”

“You are older than me, shut up.”

Jack buried his face into Gabriel’s shoulder. Gabriel’s hand moved over to wrap around Jack, feeling the heat trapped under the layer of wool and the curves of Jack’s back.

“But honestly… thank you Gabe. For everything.”

“You are welcome Jack. Any time.”

Seeing Jack happy was worth everything. Even if it means making ridiculous orange sweaters – it was all worth it.

**Author's Note:**

> Blizzard seems very determined to make Jack Morrison into a grumpy dad XD
> 
> TV Tropes assigned the trope Grumpy Old Man to Soldier: 76: "Hilariously addressed for his Halloween "Trick or Treat" spray, where instead of portraying a child version of himself in a crudely-made Halloween costume like every other hero except Ana (who's instead shown with her daughter, Pharah), he's just an old grump in a sweater sitting on a rocking chair." This was part of the foundation for this fic.
> 
> Come visit me on [Tumblr](http://www.sintharius.tumblr.com)!


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